IT IS now very likely that Ireland will undertake a tour to New Zealand next summer. The tour is expected to take in six or seven matches over a four-week period in the later stages of May and early June.

Discussions have taken place and are continuing between the IRFU and the New Zealand Rugby Union, who are very enthusiastic about the prospect of a visit from Ireland. The timing of the tour is being aimed to avoid a clash with New Zealand's involvement in the Tri Nations tournament.

Eddie Coleman, the chairman of the IRFU tours and fixtures committee, travelled to New Zealand recently to discuss the tour and other aspects of tours and fixtures between the two countries. Since his return earlier this month the unions have been in contact, discussing the tour itinerary and other relevant aspects. He also visited Australia for discussions with the Australian Rugby Union on fixtures and other matters of mutual interest, including Australia's tour to Ireland next month.

Coleman said yesterday: "The visit to New Zealand and Australia were very fruitful on the Ireland tour to New Zealand and other matters.

The details of the proposed tour to New Zealand are now being discussed between the two unions.

With the Lions touring South Africa next summer, obviously any Ireland players chosen by the Lions will not be involved in the visit to New Zealand. The Ireland playing party will be a mixture of the current international squad and emerging and development players.

Four development players are currently attached to the Ireland senior squad and there is a concerted policy by the IRFU to give all possible assistance and experience to that crucial area.

Ireland manager Pat Whelan has been fully briefed on the discussions with the New Zealand Union and his input on all aspects of the tour is obviously considerable. He sees the tour as being of immense benefit to Irish rugby and especially to the inexperienced members of the squad. It will, of course, also be an important part of Ireland's preparations for the 1999 World Cup.

New Zealand, who tour Wales next season, will also be playing a match in Ireland. That was arranged between the IRFU and Welsh Union, with Ireland surrendering one of their matches against Australia this season, the proposed match between Ireland A and Australia, so that Wales could play Australia in Cardiff on November 30th.

Ireland last toured New Zealand in 1992 and also toured there in 1976. Ireland sent a development squad to South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in the summer of 1993, winning six of the seven matches played. Thirteen of the players on that tour have played for Ireland at senior level. They are Ciaran Clarke, Conor O'Shea, Niall Woods, Brian Glennon, Mark McCall, Paul Burke, David Humphreys, Niall Hogan, Henry Hurley, Paul Wallace, Gabriel Fulcher, Paul Hogan, and Ben Cronin. Clarke, McCall, Glennon and Paul Hogan were the only players who had been capped prior to the tour.

The Exiles, whose all too brief tenure in the Interprovincial Championship came to an end this season will not, as initially hoped, be playing any of the Irish provincial sides this season. But there is active discussion on the possibility of an Exiles team undertaking a tour to South Africa next summer.

When the Exiles were ruled out of the interprovincial series, it was suggested that some of the provinces would play them at some stage during the season. But that has now been ruled out and accepted by the Exiles committee.

The committee, led by president Feidhlim McLoughlin, met officers of the IRFU in Dublin last Friday to discuss all the matters of mutual importance. He said: "We accept that it is not practical in the current circumstances for us to play any of the provinces at senior level. We had hoped initially that matches would be arranged against Ulster, Leinster and Connacht, but that is not on, not least because we would not be able to get players released.

"But the IRFU is very supportive and we are still very active with regard to Irish qualified players and there is a special emphasis on young and emerging players in England who have Irish qualifications. We will continue to field an under-21 Exiles team and indeed we played Munster under-20 last Sunday.

On the proposed tour to South Africa, he said: "That is under active discussion. If it. goes ahead it would be for a minimum of three matches. We would be seeking the release of all the Irish qualified players with English clubs. Such a tour would be beneficial in many respects." However the Lions tour to South Africa and Ireland's tour to New Zealand could leave the Exiles with a very restricted area of selection.